sharonash Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hello people! x Does anyone have a wonderful piece of paper !!!!! (yet another one!) that tells them what toys to get out each morning so that the children arent coming into nothing? Only I am finding that toys are sitting in the store room for months without being used, if not can someone tell me how it works in your settings please or suggestions? Thanks bye for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 We just have a list of all the toys-which we need for insurance purposes should we be burgled or have a fire. We then rotate the toys so that they all get used. They are on the planning sheets for the week. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hi Sharonash This might sound like a lot of work initially but once it's up and going it works really well. I am in a pre school where some of the children attend 5 mornings and other children attend maybe 2 or 3 sessions pers week, plus all our staff are part time too so not all in every session. We too had a cupboard full of toys, some which never saw daylight, and we also wanted to make sure that all the children regardless of when they attended had the chance to play with all the toys at some point. Here's what we did - We made an inventory of everything! (we found it best to do it on a day in the holidays - a pain I know, but worth its weight in gold) Then we divided the toys onto a list of specific areas which we have out each session (eg Mark Making, Table top, Craft, Floor toys, small world etc) Then we made a rolling rota - which means that all our toys are used, and not necessarily falling on the same day of each week. Each half term the rota is drawn up and everyone knows what to get out of the cupboard on each day ( we are flexible too though - if something is working well we keep it out, if something lends itself to a particular theme or planned activity we use it.) We have done this for so long now, it isn't a problem at all and when we buy or replace toys, we just add them/delete them from the original list. Hope this makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 we too use an inventory divided into specific areas, this is transfered to weekly plan, which is so flexilbe it often does not happen!! we are also in process changing this to allow children to choose what is available each morning by now doing an inventory but by using pictures of the toys, which we will eventually use to allow the children their choices...yet under development but we will keep records and 'steer' children if we notice something is underused or give some choice but also adult choice for some...dont know if this will work but we are all willing to give it a try. I know of one group where children come in to empty room, no toys etc and choose what they want to have out, works for them. For dough water and sand, we have drawers or trollys in the main room which children can access at any time and do to get what they want, also have same for puzzles. trolley for everything for markmaking always available and a craft area with trolley always available for free choice, we just felt other areas need more child input too. we do at moment ask what they would like if we notice an underused area and change it. Find it needs whole team to input into daily toys as one person doing it does often forget or use the same a lot of the time. A list of items staff not seen for a while also helps , everyone can have input and it can be used for ideas / following week. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 got this from someone else and changed it a bit for my setting - you are welcome to use it if it's any help Sarah x toy_plan_fs.doc toy_plan_fs.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Here's what we used to use: Aut05Week1.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Heres what we use Daily_planning_sheet1.doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharonash Posted November 6, 2006 Author Share Posted November 6, 2006 You guys are fab! I have a six week one that is almost the same- hooray I cant be doing it all wrong! Mentor said to scrap it as we should be letting the children choose.?? Can I ask though how this is effected by the childrens choice ie do you get the toys out as per the plan and then cross it out if the children change the toy or do you have other forms that run along side this and use this as a guide/hard copy? Are your plans filled in in advance or week to week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Just a note at july Ofsted they too want to see it gone and childrens choice for everything each day hence our need to change things. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I know some settings already allow children to choose the equipment that goes out but how do you organise it? How do you ensure that all the children get the chance to choose? And how do you ensure there is a variety of equipment used? Do you have some things out that are chosen by adults and some by children? Or is it all the children's choice? We have free choice weeks every half term, especially near the end, but just wondered how it would work in practice for the whole time. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 yet to find that out Linda, we think it will be mainly child choice with monitoring, and steering! we may try a limited choice for each area- using pictures - who chooses/ not worked that out yet, will be an experiment to see what works. They currently have some free choice in sand, water, markmaking, puzzles, crafts, playdough, games so in our case there is only a few more to add to it. All a bit of an experiment for us, but willing to give it a go, record and if it does not work we will at least have reasons documented for Ofsted! Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 I agree with Inge, I put out the toys, the children often don't want to play with them, so I put them away and get out their free choices - making a note of what I have done in the comments bit at the bottom of my daily plan. That way, I am showing I've tried to be organised, showing that the children have free choice and showing that I am following their wishes and allowing spontaneous play!!!! And as we all bend over backwards to make everyone happy I feel a cup of tea coming on! Sarah x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 We have a photograph of each toy or activity in the nursery and it is hung up in a Plastic hanger which has see through pockets in, we put out 20 activities each day some stay the same such as Home corner, sand, computer, book corner. When the child comes in with their parent they get their name cards which are velcroed on to a wall then they go to the planning board and put their name into the pocket of the activity they wish to play with. They then move the name into a different activity each time they choose something else, They are encouraged to tidy away the first thing they chose if no-one else is playing with it. Staff were unsure how this would work as you could end up with several different activities on one table or on the carpet area, but it works well. Our Early years advisors told us we had to let children choose and access the activities themselves ( we even had to get new furniture to make it easier!) Ofsted thought it worked really well as well last month. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Thank you Milly, This has answered a few of the problems about how and who chooses, we already often have 2 differnt games on a table and they seem to be able to work with that, at moment they can access those themselves from a drawer. it was larger stuff causing us choice problems, may try the names by pictures idea, we are well under construction of photographic inventory , and if staff put out a selection each session I can see it working! Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 I'm resurrecting this post just in case someone has developed something wonderful since it was first discussed! I'm all in favour of chldren accessing and choosing their own toys and resources but my staff need some kind of structure at the beginning of the day to help them set up an inviting environment for the children coming in at 8am when breakfast is being served. We've decided to organise the room under distinct areas corresponding to the areas of the EYFS and are busy making an inventory of all resources which we can then spilt up into these areas....though obviously there is no end of overlap!!....and I want to devise some kind of plan to help the early shift staff set up the room effectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 ours are all on a six week rotation basis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted June 13, 2007 Share Posted June 13, 2007 sorry, not much help here either, tried photographic way with ours but they all choose the same items every day so things were not being used, when we removed the picture as it had been used so often all they did was keep asking for it! will try again next year with new group and see if it will work. the items in drawers for self selection which works in some areas such as dough and we have craft area self selection this way. otherwise back to our rotation, we do this with the planning from observations of child interests each week by just having a sheet available for staff to fill in for the next week of what to put out where, anyone can fill it in as the week progresses and it is usually full by end of the week. it is just a sheet divided up into our areas and days on it for a weekly plan. this way we ensure a balanced selection of items out each day. although at moment the garden and outside is in use so much we end up taking a selection out there to use, free flow being impossible, which would be our real aim. Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts